


Introduction to Literature

by ChildishGlover



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: A Christmas Carol, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25038304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChildishGlover/pseuds/ChildishGlover
Summary: A few years after Annie leaves for D.C, Jeff is all alone on Christmas. He's visited by the Ghosts of Greendale Past, Present, and Future. Play on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"
Relationships: Annie Edison/Jeff Winger
Comments: 14
Kudos: 57





	1. Chapter 1

Ah Christmas, a time for rejoicing. A time for family and togetherness. A time for presents and giving. A time for enjoyment and celebration.

But not for Jeff Winger. 

He had developed a tradition over the years since Annie left. Go to a bar, only get mildly drunk, call a cab to get him home, and then drink too much and pass out. 

The study group all had gone on to do greater things while Jeff was still self-loathing back at Greendale. Shirley had opened her chain sandwich shop in Atlanta, Abed was making movies in LA, Troy had navigated the world and then went to LA to make movies with Abed, Annie was solving crimes and kicking ass in D.C, Britta actually managed to become a psychologist in Denver, and Pierce even got to die. And then there was him. Trapped in Greendale forever.

He broke out of thought as he saw a gorgeous, leggy redhead eyeing him across the bar. He was flattered, sure, that he still got looks across the bar even at 45. But he still couldn’t bring himself to take the girl home and he knew why. She wasn’t Annie.

He knew that there was no other person he would be with but he also knew that he wasn’t good enough for her. Annie deserved everything the world had to offer, not a depressed, middle-aged slacker who’s teaching law at a damn community college. She was on the rise to the top. She was gonna be head of the FBI, find a perfect boyfriend and he’d be long gone from her mind. He wasn’t happy coming to that conclusion, but it was the right one to come to. 

He got up and walked towards the exit of the bar, ignoring the disappointed eyes of the young woman looking at him across the bar. He called an Uber and went back to the empty apartment. He found his scotch and glass and moped back to his bed. That was the last thing he remembered before he drifted into a deep, uncomfortable sleep. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He woke up and looked at the clock. The luminescent, green light flashed 7:00. Jeff felt groggy but he strangely had no headache or any sign whatsoever of a hangover. Suddenly, a knock occurred on the door. Jeff put on a pair of sweatpants and a white undershirt and walked towards the door. He opened it to find his friend Abed in a purple nightgown that stretched down to his ankles. “Abed?” Jeff asked.  
“I am not Abed, I’m the ghost of Greendale past. A figment of your imagination designed to look like Abed. I am the closest thing to a wise, mentor figure you have Jeff. I’m your dumbledore, Jeff. Your Miyagi.” 

Jeff was utterly confused as to why he chose Abed as his mentor but he let it slide. “Don’t you usually stick to movie references, not Charles Dickens novels?” He inquired. 

“Again, I am not Abed. I am the ghost of Greendale past. I’m here to show you the mistakes of your Greendale past.” Ghost Abed snapped his fingers and suddenly Jeff was teleported to the study room. The group was all there, including Pierce, frozen in time. Jeff recognized the scene from their sophomore year at Greendale. The group was working on their final diorama for Anthropology and they were arguing once again. 

All of a sudden, the scene began to play. “Then what’s been going on with us all year?” Annie asked. The group turned their heads to face past Jeff. 

“What are you talking about?” The past Jeff asked. “I’m talking about the ‘Annie of it all’. The long looks, stolen glances, the general atmosphere of ‘Would they/might they’.” Annie responded.

“Annie, I think you're reading into things.” past Jeff replied. Present Jeff looked down at his feet unable to face ghost Abed, ashamed of how he handled the situation. He was afraid of hurting Annie so he made her think she was reading things and it was all in her head.

The scene froze and ghost Abed looked at Jeff. “Why Jeff? Why deny the clearly present feelings?”

“I didn’t want to hurt her.” He answered guiltily.

“Jeff, Annie even then was a very mature woman, more mature than you.”

“Thanks.” Jeff grumbled.

Abed ignored him. “Annie was able to and still can make her own decisions. You don’t get to determine what’s better for her.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that there were and are better guys for her.”

“But she still wanted you, Jeff.”

Jeff froze, unable to come up with something to say. Ghost Abed stared at him blankly and snapped his fingers once again. The scene around him shifted and suddenly they were in the men’s room. Jeff again recognized the scene around him. Annie wanted Rich to join the group and Jeff got jealous and in a fit of jealousy, tried to get Chang to join the group. The scene began to play as Annie stormed in.

“There you are! Can you please explain to me what the hell you’ve been doing?” Annie asked. 

“Annie when a man loves food and beverages very much and they pass through his system they make a-”

“I’m not in the mood, Jeff. Explain your behavior with Rich today.” Annie said cutting past Jeff off. Jeff winced at his deflection and sarcastic response to Annie.

“Sorry everyone isn’t as in love with Dr. Do-no-wrong as you are. And don't say it’s because I’m jealous of him being with you.” past Jeff replied. Jeff again winced at his obvious lie.

“Oh come on Jeff!” Annie responded. “I’m sick of this! One minute I’m too young to date, the next you’re trying to get rid of guys I like. Either you want me or you don’t, what’s it gonna be?”

“I wish I could give you an answer that makes sense but relationships are complicated and-”

“Okay, that’s enough.” the present Jeff said. “I’ve seen enough.”

“Have you?” Ghost Abed asked. “Jeff you’re not gonna fix your mistakes if you haven’t come to terms with them.”

Jeff pondered Abed’s statement for a moment. Had he come to terms with what he did wrong in the past? He understood why he should feel bad, but did he realize everything from Annie’s perspective? Annie was right that Jeff was too inconsistent. He’d go from trying to stay away from her while still preventing her from pursuing any other guy. At the time, he was trying to deflect and sort out his feelings that he didn’t even realize how it made her feel. Before Jeff could respond to what Ghost Abed said the scene changed once more. They were in Borchert’s Lab, past Jeff wearing the headset. Jeff took it all in as the scene began to play.

Past Jeff began looking at each person. Present Jeff remembered that day by heart. He remembered each person he imagined in his head one by one.

Jeff looked at the Dean. “You’re here to save me aren’t you?” Nothing.

He looked at Britta. “Let’s get out of here and never look back.” Nothing.

He looked at Abed. “Jeff in case you ever have to remember me, can I give you some options for voice over quotes?”

“Shut up, Abed.” Nothing.

Finally, he looked at Annie. “M’lady?”

“M’lord.” All of a sudden the lights began to turn on, the computers started running, and the door opened. The scene paused and Abed turned towards Jeff. 

“You never told her Jeff, did you, Jeff?” Ghost Abed asked.

Jeff frowned at the grown ashamedly, guilty of what Abed had asked. “She didn’t need to know.” He mumbled.

“Again Jeff, she can make decisions for yourself. You were scared of what would happen if you told her so you decided it was best for her if you didn’t tell her at all. Does that seem fair Jeff?”

With that, Ghost Abed snapped his fingers for the final time. Jeff was teleported back to his front door. Abed was gone and Jeff once again was all alone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to anyone who's reading along! This is my first fan fic so it means a lot to see people leaving nice feedback! A few more chpaters to go, this story's a little short. But maybe I'll start to be able to write longer, we'll see. Anyways, thanks again and enjoy!

Jeff began to walk back to his door, contemplating everything he just saw. Was he dreaming or was that entire encounter in his head? Regardless, Ghost Abed had shown him all the ways he’d hurt Annie in the past. With indecisiveness, fear, inconsistency, and just not telling her how he felt. He had hurt Annie and that was the last thing he ever wanted to do. He knew now how he’d hurt Annie in the past, but that didn’t mean if he were with her he’d prevent pain in the future. Jeff was still a ragged, old man and she had her whole life ahead of her. If he wanted to prevent what he’d already caused, he’d just have to let her live her own life. And maybe he didn’t need her after all. He was happy being alone if it meant Annie was happy somewhere.

His thoughts were cut off by another knock on the door. He didn’t know what he expected, but as he opened the door Abed appeared once again his vision. ‘Ab-Ghost of Greendale Past.” Jeff said, rolling his eyes. “Haven’t I gone through enough suffering?”

“Have you?” Ghost Abed asked. Before Jeff could respond, Abed said “I am not the ghost of Greendale Past, however. I am the Ghost of Greendale Present.”

“What, are you here to show me how crappy my life is? I think I know that already.” Jeff replied.

“I know you know that. I’m here to show you how crappy your life is and how much better everyone else’s is.”

“Thanks, man.” Jeff grumbled under his breath. At that moment, new ghost Abed snapped his fingers and the scene shifted to a home theater with two rows of large, grey recliners facing a humongous television. Jeff recognized it as the one in Troy and Abed’s new mansion in LA. Jeff went there once when Troy returned. He remembered how happy Abed looked to have someone important to him back in his life.

He saw them proceed to do their secret handshake and hand each other their bowls of buttered noodles. They picked out their favorite kick-puncher in the movie and put it on the TV. Jeff thought it was funny, what their idea of Christmas was, but could he really say anything? While their idea of Christmas was lame, was Jeff’s any better?

“Come on?” Jeff asked. “This is what you wanted to show me, two man-children eating noodles and watching bad movies?”

“What’s your Christmas like Jeff? Going to bars? Drinking until you can’t feel? They’re celebrating Christmas together, which is all that matters. What does that say about you?” new ghost Abed said. Jeff was at a complete loss for words, a strange occurrence for him. He opened his mouth and closed it, completely speechless. Abed was completely right, Jeff’s Christmas wasn’t great. But the other members couldn’t have that much better Christmases…...could they?

Abed snapped his fingers and the scene shifted to a dining room in a very small apartment. Pizza boxes were littering the ground and cat hairs were all over the place. Jeff recognized it as Britta and Duncan’s apartment in Denver. Britta walked into the room, Duncan right on her tail. Duncan threw an arm around her waist and Britta met him with a kiss. Jeff had gotten used to them seeing each other but something about it was still so strange to Jeff.

The microwave beeped and the couple opened it to find two microwavable burritos. They took them out and walked back to their dining room table where they clinked their burritos together and dug in. 

“The meaning of Christmas, Jeff, is not how you spend it but who you spend it with. Your Christmas isn’t bad because you get drunk and pass out, it’s bad because you have no one to get drunk and pass out with.”

Jeff pondered the statement for a moment. He’d always not been a fan of Christmas, whether he blamed Agnosticism or something of the sort, he’d never really been with a family on Christmas. He spent all his Christmases alone with his Mom. He’d get all the presents in the world but that just wasn’t enough. Then, he met the study group. They showed him that you didn’t need presents to enjoy Christmas. And now, the study group was gone and he no longer enjoyed Christmas again. He could no longer blame his dad or Agnosticism or anything else.

Abed snapped his fingers again and the scene shifted to a very formal dining table. Knives and forks next to cloth napkins and all kinds of food lining the table. Jeff recognized the scene as Shirley’s family in Atlanta. There were two boys, teenagers, Shirley, and her father sitting around the table. Shirley began to sing what Jeff could only assume was some form of prayer. After she finished, the family delved into their food and began a cheery conversation. They were smiling, laughing, telling stories, and just having a great time with the people they love.

Jeff once again was feeling a sense of loneliness inside at the sight of yet another family enjoying their Christmas together. He was beginning to see that while getting drunk tended to feel really good, it had no lasting feeling. Being drunk helped him get through the night, but no one was there to help him get through the morning.

“You see Jeff, while these families are smiling and laughing and playing, you’re passing out from too much Scotch. Are you gonna be happy knowing that the rest of your Christmases will be like this if you don’t do something?” Ghost Abed said.

“Don’t do what?” Jeff asked.

“That’s for you to figure out.”

With that, the scene shifted once more and Jeff was in another dining room. Beautiful, decorative furniture lining the room, table set neatly and perfectly, the job of only one person Jeff knew. Annie walked into the room wearing sweatpants and an FBI hoodie. Jeff instantly noticed how beautiful she looked, even without makeup or revealing clothing. But swiftly following Annie was a guy, a little shorter than Jeff with a jaw that could cut glass. Annie turned around and left a kiss on the guy’s lips. Seeing that, Jeff’s heart sunk.

Jeff watched as Annie and her boyfriend, he assumed, laughed and held hands across the table. The guy told a joke and Annie burst out in laughter. The guy made a sarcastic statement and Annie rolled her eyes and gave him a mock-annoyed smile that he’d previously only seen given to him.

He couldn’t bear to watch it but isn’t this what he wanted? He wanted her to be happy but soon realized that he wanted her to be happy with him. Yet as much as Jeff wanted to take a plane to D.C, punch her boyfriend square in his triangle jaw, and kiss Annie right there and then, he knew he’d let her go. She was happy now, without him. Whether or not she knew it, Jeff would only bring her sadness, happy couple or not. Jeff would eventually hurt her in some way and then he’d never forgive himself.

“I can’t watch this anymore.” He growled at Ghost Abed. “Just take me back.”

Abed snapped his fingers and they were teleported to Jeff’s living room. Jeff expected Abed to be gone just as the last time but instead, Abed nodded towards the couch.

Jeff saw himself. Old and Drunk, lying on his couch, Scotch still in his hand. He remembered the Christmases of his friends. Abed and Troy, best friends, enjoying their Christmas together, Britta and Duncan, somehow a couple, enjoying their Christmas together, Shirley and her boys, a family, enjoying their Christmas together, and Annie and her boyfriend, Jeff shuddered at the word, enjoying their Christmas together.

And then there was Jeff. Passed out on his sofa with his Scotch, not enjoying his Christmas, alone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting Close to the end! Thanks to everyone reading along and HUGE thanks to my favorite members of the Community Discord: JeffWing (1sttimefeeling), Skitzer1985, and Kian(HareStomp). They also write stuff here so go check them out!

Jeff turned back to see where Abed was but when he turned, no one was there. Jeff was starting to question in his sanity before yet another knock occurred on the door.

He rolled his eyes and walked towards the door at a sluggish rate. He didn’t think he was ready for another lesson from Ghost Abed or whoever the hell was at his door. Jeff didn’t exactly know yet what his subconscious was trying to get him to realize exactly. All he’d figured out by now was that he was a lonely old man still pining over a twentysomething. His mind finally let himself admit that a life without Annie would suck, but that still didn’t mean he should go after her. She was happy with her boyfriend and that’s really all that mattered, as much as it pained him to say it.

He opened the door to find yet another Abed in a nightgown. New new ghost Abed opened his mouth to speak but Jeff cut him off. “Let me guess, Ghost of Christmas Fuuuuture.” Jeff said in a cliche ghost-like voice. 

Blankly, Ghost Abed looked at Jeff. “Actually I’m the Ghost of Greendale Future but sure yeah, let’s go with that.”

“What are you here to show me this time, that I’m gonna die alone? I think I already know that.” Jeff quipped.

“Well now that you spoiled it, it kind of takes the fun out of it. But yeah.” Ghost Abed responded. Jeff was actually kind of surprised that he was right. Nonetheless, he didn’t know what to expect seeing himself die alone, he didn’t know he’d feel seeing it. Of course, he always wanted to “nut up and die alone” but after seeing Britta, of all people, happy in a relationship it was like his whole ideology had changed.

Abed snapped his fingers and the scene shifted around him to a funeral home. The place was seriously beautiful. Red linen carpet lined the floors, the walls were a nice, white marble, and the coffin in which his body was lying, a traumatizing sight, was covered in jewels of all different colors. 

Jeff now noticed the different people filling the seats lining to the back of the hall. On the left side were all his family members. Jeff noticed his mother and her sister, and two of Jeff’s cousins in the front row. Surprisingly to Jeff, his cousins, who he’d barely been in contact with, had red eyes and were sniffling. Behind them, in the next few rows, were other family members Jeff hadn’t seen in probably 20 or 30 years. Not as many were crying there, but that didn’t bug Jeff. He hadn’t really even known them, let alone talked to them or saw them. Behind them, filling the final seats in the left row, were others relatives Jeff had never seen in his life. He felt somewhat guilty having never really seen them or talked with them but he felt comfort in knowing they showed up anyway.

He then looked over to the right side where he saw the study group lining the first row. He looked across the row seeing Britta, Troy, Abed, Shirley, and…...Annie? Where was Annie? Jeff looked across the hall, trying to find any sight of his favorite study group member to no prevail. Jeff was totally, utterly dispirited. 

“Abed, where the hell is Annie!?” Jeff asked, bottling up his rage. “Why isn’t she here?” He inquired, more calmly this time.

Ghost Abed studied Jeff with that same old Abed stare he’d use when analyzing someone’s thoughts, motions or words. Yet he still didn’t give Jeff a response.

“Abed! Why won’t you tell me where she is?” Jeff tried again. At this point, he wanted so badly to sock Abed in his ghostly, little face but he resisted, waiting for an answer. This time Abed did reply.

“I can’t tell you, Jeff.” Jeff was highly considering hitting him before Abed finished with “but I can show you. And you need to figure out for yourself what it means Jeff.” He didn’t really care about what Abed said he just needed to know where the hell Annie was.

Abed snapped his fingers and the scene shifted. Jeff saw a living room with two small, blue loveseats with a large, grey couch in the middle. Jeff noticed the emptiness the room felt, no decorations, no customization of any sort. He then saw a man walking into the room. It was ol’ pointy jaw from Jeff’s encounter with Greendale present Abed. Followed by him was Annie once again holding a baby. Jeff immediately noticed the ring on her finger as she kissed pointy jaw on the lips. Jeff winced at the sight and his heart fell to his stomach.

“Honey, shouldn’t you be in Greendale for your friend’s funeral?” Pointy jaw asked. Jeff refused to refer to him in his head as anything but that.

“Oh, I couldn’t miss our moving day. This is one of the most important days of our lives!” Annie responded.

Jeff couldn’t believe that Annie would miss Jeff’s funeral for pointy jaw. He knew she definitely loved him and all (for some reason) but she’d miss his own funeral? Jeff knew this was probably his subconscious messing with him but he couldn’t help but feel a sadness he’s never felt before. 

Jeff doesn’t cry, he was “taught” long ago by his stupid father that boys don’t cry, that men don’t cry. So he rarely felt tears rolling down his cheeks, but even in his imaginary scenario, he couldn’t prevent a tear from spilling out of his eye at the sight of Annie finally turning her back on him once and for all. 

He’d battled his feelings for her for 6 years and now none of it mattered. No matter what, Annie would just forget about him. 6 years of indecisiveness and now he’d be sad forever knowing Annie had moved on. The universe had given him endless opportunities but now he’d lost them, for good.

The scene collapsed around him and he was back in his living room. Annie and stupid pointy jaw gone, Ghost Abed gone (hopefully for good this time), and Jeff back alone.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff startled awake from his dream and sat straight up, something he immediately regretted. He had a nasty headache, one of the worst parts of his Christmas routine. He was sweating from head to toe and was panting heavily. After a while he got over the headache and went up to get water, clear his thoughts and check his phone. Luckily, it was still on the kitchen table where he left it last night. One New Message, his phone read. Jeff’s heart stopped, it was from Annie. Somehow, all the way across the country, Annie still made heart stop.

_Merry Christmas Jeff! I know we haven’t talked in a while but I want you to know I still care {2 Heart Emojis}_

Maybe this was a sign? The universe’s way of telling Jeff to get off of his ass and finally do something. For some reason, Jeff bought into that nonsense. He needed to go see Annie, tell her how he feels and how he has felt. Whether she accepted him back into her life or not, it wasn’t fair to him or her that he kept drinking and bottling up his feelings.

He texted Britta asking for Annie’s new (well old now) address in D.C, he was finally doing something. At that moment he’d felt something he’d never truly felt before, hope.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, nearing the end! This isn't my best chapter but I haven't updated in a bit and I figured I might as well. As always, big thanks to Kian (HareStomp), Skitzer1985 and Jeffwing (1sttimefeeling) from the community discord. Another huge thanks to Mirage (Almighty Mirage) and Morganecdote (Morganatique9). They also post here so go check them out and also check out the community discord, enjoy!

Jeff couldn’t sleep that night, he was incredibly anxious about going to see Annie in the morning. He was also anxious about having another dream with Abed’s in a nightgown. Looking back on it, it certainly was one of his weirder dreams. 

Yet it also led him to one of the most important revelations he’d ever come to. He couldn’t live his life without Annie knowing how he feels. He assumed it wouldn’t go well, a fair assumption, given that Annie had a boyfriend and had moved on. But it wouldn’t have been fair to him or Annie to live in this lie for any longer. 

He began to drift off to sleep, excited for the day to follow, but dreading it at all the same.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff woke up to the sound of his alarm. He rolled over, still groggy, to check the time. The time flashed 5:00 Am which left Jeff time to shower, get ready, take a cab to the airport and get on his scheduled flight. He checked his phone to find the address Britta had sent him. 

_1107 19th St NW_

As he stood in the shower, water beating down onto his neck, Jeff began to contemplate whether or not this was a good idea. Maybe Annie didn’t need to know he felt. She was happy with pointy-jaw, it wasn’t his place to interfere. 

Then again, they hadn’t left things on the best of terms when Annie left. Sure, Jeff sort of admitted he loved her but did he? He remembered saying something about how he let her go, but he didn’t actually remember saying he loved her. Annie had gone to DC for the summer, but as Jeff expected, she got an incredible job opportunity and decided to stay. She had stayed in contact over the summer, but as time passed and she moved on, Jeff started to get less _‘How’s your week been Jeff?’_ and more _‘I know we haven’t talked in months, but happy b-day!’_ Understandably, she had moved on. Passed dungeons and dragons, passed paintball and hot lava, and passed Jeff.

Although Annie had probably forgotten about Jeff, Jeff didn’t forget about her. Every happy birthday or merry Christmas text, Jeff kept close to his heart knowing it just might be the last. Annie had ruined every other woman for him, none were nearly Annie enough. It wasn't her fault though, once you’ve seen a glimpse of the greatest, nothing can quite match up. That’s why Jeff needed to tell her. Maybe she wouldn’t care, maybe she’d shut him down and marry pointy jaw. But as long as Jeff knew he could still save himself from a life of loneliness, pain, and suffering, he had to take the chance.

He hopped out of the shower, one and a half hours until his flight. He checked his hair over and over until it was finally perfect and walked out of the bathroom. He decided to pack a fresh pair of clothes, some toiletries, and some facial cream. Just in case Annie was willing to accept him back into her life. The odds were slim, but Jeff knew he had to take a chance.

With just over an hour until he had to go to get on his flight, the cab arrived outside Jeff’s apartment. He told the driver to take him to the airport and sat back in his seat anxiously. Jeff shouldn’t have been feeling so nervous, Jeff Winger didn’t do nervous. But something about that one little brunette made him do crazy things. 

He arrived at the airport, went through security, and still had time to spare. As he was waiting for the boarding of his flight, a petite blonde woman eyed him across the room.

Jeff shot a polite smile back at her, a universal indicator of ‘No Thanks’. Jeff had way more important things on his mind than to be making eyes with a random woman across the enormous room. 

The woman gave a sigh and pout in response but proceeded to take her gaze away from Jeff and eye down another good-looking guy. 

Minutes felt like hours until his flight was finally called and he boarded the plane. It was funny to Jeff, this would be the first time he ever left Colorado and it wasn’t for some fancy business trip or vacation, it was to tell someone he loved them. If only sleazy lawyer Jeff could see him now. He’d turned into the guys he had despised back when he was a lawyer. A love-struck, weak man who would do anything to be with the person they loved. Old Jeff didn’t even believe in love, commitment, or anything of the sort. Sure, new Jeff still feared those things but he was willing to face those fears if he could do it with the person he loved.

Jeff treated himself with First Class for his first flight ever. He figured that if things didn’t go so well, it might be nice to at least be comfortable. He was given good food, good drinks, and was actually feeling ready until the flight attendant came on.

_We are about 15 minutes from our nation’s capital, Washington D.C so remain in your seats and happy traveling!_

At the announcement, Jeff’s stomach did a 360. _'Oh god, this is happening, Oh god this is happening'_ he thought. He remembered something that Britta told him about breathing exercises when anxiety and stress began to occur. Somehow, Britta was right. After about 5 minutes of breathing heavily and weird looks from fellow passengers, Jeff was ready. Ready to take on the feelings he’d avoided for so long.

He hopped off the flight, with a slight bounce in his feet, headed through security, and got a cab to take him to the address he’d had in the text from Britta. As he arrived at the destination, he breathed out heavily, handed the driver a twenty, told him to keep the change, and hopped out of the cab. 

He walked up to the apartment number he was told was Annie’s and breathed in and out a few more times. Finally, when he knocked on the door, pointy-jaw arrived and looked up at Jeff.

“Hey, I’m one of Annie’s friends, visiting,” Jeff said, trying to maintain his composure. The guy looked skeptical at first but he did call out to Annie.

“Annie! One of your friends is here to see you!” He screamed, calling out to Annie, who was in the other room.

“One minute Oliver!” Annie said. God, he missed hearing that voice. _‘Stay calm, Jeff. Stay calm’_ he thought.

Annie appeared from the other room and Jeff’s heart sped up to twice the speed. She still maintained her Annie look, while looking way more professional and mature. Jeff didn’t have much more time to react as Annie screamed “Jeff!” and pulled him into a hug. Jeff was hesitant at first but eventually pulled Annie right into an embrace. He prayed Annie couldn't hear how fast his heart was beating but he never wanted to let go. 

What Jeff couldn’t see while embraced with Annie, was the stink eye he was being given by pointy jaw.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp this is it, thanks once again for the guys (and gals) in the discord server for helping me write this. You know you are :) This was my first ever attempt at writing so I appreciate anyone who read along.

Jeff didn’t know how long he was in the embrace with Annie for, but he knew he didn’t want it to end. But after a long time, pointy jaw, or Oliver, cleared his throat.

Annie backed off Jeff, with a little blush spreading across her cheeks, and cleared her throat before speaking up. “Jeff, what are you doing here?” She asked, voice a little higher than usual.

Jeff wanted to tell her so badly, right there and then, but he knew he couldn’t with Oliver glaring at him. Jeff rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh you know, we haven’t seen each other in a long time so I figured I’d stop by,” Jeff stated, shrugging. Annie beamed up at him, pulling him back into another quick hug, much to the dismay of Oliver.

“Well come on in then!” She said cheerily, gesturing Jeff to enter into their apartment. Jeff walked in, noticing the dining room, eerily similar to the one he saw in his dream. 

“Uh, Annie, a word?” Oliver asked. Annie nodded then smiled at Jeff. “Just wait here for a second.” She said and it was Jeff’s turn to nod.

She hopped off to the kitchen, where Oliver was, as Jeff sat down onto the couch. He turned on the TV to a low volume so he could hear the conversation going on in the other room while making it seem like he wasn’t.

“Annie, what the hell?!” Oliver yelled at her.

“Excuse me?” She asked.

“When you were talking about your drunken and old friend, I wasn’t exactly imagining _that_.” He stated. Jeff frowned at the argument going on in the other room, mere feet away from him.

Did Annie really call him drunken and old? Did she really say that about him? Was it even worth it to tell her everything? No, he had to do this. He couldn’t care less about Oliver or pointy jaw or whatever the hell he was called, he needed to tell Annie this or he’d regret it for the rest of his life. The argument continued, pulling Jeff out of his thoughts.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to that, Oliver!” Annie shouted, a bit too loud. She lowered her voice and resumed. “I have an old friend who’s attractive, sure. But I’m dating you, why are you jealous of a guy I haven’t talked to in years?”

 _‘She thinks I’m attractive’_ he thought, grinning ear to ear. Who was he kidding, of course she thought he was attractive. He was Jeff freaking Winger, what a sap he’d turned into.

“I don't see you hugging me like that when I walk through the door,” Oliver stated, lowering his voice to Annie’s level. “You practically jumped on him.”

“I’m sorry that I’m excited to see one of my best friends, Oliver! I haven’t seen him in three years, why can’t you understand that?” She replied angrily.

“Am I supposed to apologize to you when you lie to me about your friend and then pounce on him when he visits you? I have a right to be upset here!” Oliver said, shouting again.

“Oliver, I’m dating _you!_ Do you trust me that little to think I’d cheat on you?” Annie countered.

“When an attractive friend of yours shows up at your door and you hug him until I have to clear my throat, I have a right to get nervous.” He stated.

“Jeff was my best friend for so long, Oliver. I’m happy to see him, as a friend, that’s all! Why can’t you see that?”

“Well, why can’t you see this from my perspective?” He shouted back. 

"I'm not exactly used to seeing things from the perspective of a jealous douche!" She replied, angrily. Jeff saw Oliver's eyes flame up in anger, but before Oliver could retaliate, Annie continued. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

"Look, Annie, it's either me or Jeff, you have to make the decision." He stated through a fake calm voice.

"What!?" She yelled angrily. "Jeff is my friend, you're my boyfriend. What decision is there to make?"

"I'm not gonna sit around and watch you and Jeff participate in your hour-long hugs. You have to choose, Annie." Oliver retorted.

"Oliver…" Annie tested.

"If you can't choose Annie, I don't think we're gonna work out," Oliver said, sighing and looking at the floor.

“Then I guess we’re not gonna work out,” Annie said sadly, also looking down at the floor.

Jeff’s eyes widened as he heard what was going on in the other room. Should he feel happy? Sure, Oliver out of the picture would make telling Annie a hell of a lot easier. But then again, if he told her how he felt now, would she just think he was trying to comfort her? Make her feel better after she’d just been through a tough breakup?

“I guess not,” Oliver said. He grabbed his keys off the kitchen counter and went to the door. “Bye Annie.” Ignoring Jeff, he opened the door, walked out, and slammed the door behind him.

Jeff heard sniffles coming from the kitchen so he decided to get up and go comfort Annie. Her eyes were closed but Jeff could still see tears streaming down her cheeks as he walked towards and put a hand on her shoulder. 

“Annie, I’m sorry. I was just coming here to….” Jeff started. Trapped, he decided to just get to the point. “I was excited to see you and I hugged you for too long and I’m just so sorry.” Jeff finished at an unprecedented loss for words. 

Annie opened her eyes and pulled Jeff into another hug. She rested her head against his chest and his shirt began to dampen from her tears. For once in his life, a shirt of his was getting ruined and he didn’t care one bit. She could destroy all his expensive shirts and suits for all he cared, as long as he could stay in the hug forever. 

Unfortunately, he couldn’t. She pulled away from him and looked at him with her hopeful, adorable, blue eyes and his knees nearly turned to jelly. “No, _I'm_ sorry you had to deal with that, I really didn’t want to-” She began before getting cut off by Jeff pulling her into yet another hug. She was startled at first but then wrapped her arms around Jeff again.

She started sobbing into Jeff’s shirt again so he ran his fingers through her hair and whispered comforting phrases of assurance. She finally pulled back again and breathed, wiping her eyes with the backside of her hands. 

“I’m okay, now come on.” She said. “We got a lot of catching up to do.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff sat down on the couch with the coffee Annie gave him in hand. Annie followed suit, sitting next to him on the other side of the couch. They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying their coffee until Jeff spoke up.

“I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to-” Jeff said before Annie cut him off. “It’s okay, it really is. If he wasn’t going to allow me to have a guy friend, that’s a problem with him, not me. But enough about stupid Oliver,” She said smiling. “What’s been going on with you?”

Jeff could tell she wanted to change the subject, so he went along. He talked about how after everyone left, he decided to stay at Greendale as a professor. He told her how it was her that made him actually work hard and make his way to becoming the student body’s favorite professor.

Annie talked about how after her internship, she went to Quantico and then was offered a higher position at the FBI in DC. After graduating, she had to leave social media to do more undercover work.

They chatted and laughed for what must have been hours until Jeff finally remembered why he was here. He was completely lost in their banter and totally forgot what he came here to tell her.

“Annie, I need to tell you something.” He said.

He probably should have phrased that better because Annie had a look of worry on her face. “Is everything okay?” She asked, so sweet and caring that Jeff wanted to take her right there and then. But no, he couldn’t. Not yet.

“I’m going to say a bunch of things and I just want you to listen and don’t say anything until the end, okay?” He said and she nodded. He took a deep breath and began. “Annie, I was a wreck before I met you and the study group. Sure, I covered up my shame and sadness with fancy suits, one-liners, and a don't-care attitude. But I was never truly happy until I met the study group, more specifically until I met you. You made me do better, feel better, about myself, and everything. I never had a conscience until I met you. I used to clear the worst of criminals of any charges without even a hint of regret. But then, one smart, perseverant, driven brunette crawled into my life and turned it around.” He took another deep breath.

“When we graduated, I wanted to keep in touch, I really did, but I couldn’t bear to see myself disappoint you. I cared and still care too much about you for you to have seen me as a complete failure. And then we were back together, going on our fun team-ups and adventures. It wasn’t until then did I realize how horrible my life was without you in it. Before I knew it, Subway was taking over the school and my life was crumbling right in front of me. I just had to hold onto something because I knew everything was falling apart. Britta just happened to be the one in front of me. Hell, if _Abed_ were in front of me I would’ve proposed. Suddenly, we were trapped in Borchert’s lab, and we needed a burst of extreme passion to open the door. I looked at all of you. Dean, Abed, Britta, nothing worked. Until I looked at you.” Jeff heard a large gasp coming from Annie. She opened her mouth to speak but Jeff cut her off by raising his hand.

“Yes Annie, you opened the door. The way I feel about you opened the door, now let me finish. Time passed all too fast and suddenly you were going to DC. The study group I unintentionally formed all those years ago was falling apart. But I knew I couldn’t stop you from leaving. I couldn’t hold you back, you were going on to take over the world. Making you stay would only stop you from doing great things, and I couldn’t be the one to do that. Texts from you starting coming in less and less and I began to realize that you were never going to come back. It took a toll on me, I started drinking, trying to drown away my sorrows with Scotch but it just left me feeling worse in the morning. And then yesterday I had this really weird dream with Abed in a nightgown. Don’t ask. And it made me conclude that I couldn’t live my life in denial. Denying having my feelings still and denying telling you my feelings. So here I am now, telling you my feelings. I really don’t like doing this, but for you, I’d do anything. Because Annie Edison, I love you.” He finished, taking a deep breath.

Annie had tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked at Jeff with her big, beautiful eyes. She wiped away her tears and jumped at Jeff, pulling him into a long, passionate kiss. Jeff was startled at first but recovered and deepened the kiss. He missed kissing her so badly. They stayed like that for what must have been hours. A frantic connection between them that Jeff never wanted to end. But eventually, Annie pulled away. They were both breathing heavily and Annie finally spoke. 

“I love you too, you dummy.” She whispered with a huge grin on her face. She turned on the television and rested her head on Jeff’s shoulder. He had no idea what he was going to do next but he had a feeling everything was going to be okay.


End file.
